Lock hinge for play yards



y 23, 1961 E. A. WESTERFORS 2,984,858

LOCK HINGE! FOR PLAY YARDS Filed May 15, 1958 INVENTOR ERICK H. W55 TERFORS ATTORNEY United States Patent LOCK HINGE FOR PLAY YARDS Erick A. Westerfors, Westminster, Mass.

Filed May '15, 1958, Ser. No. 735,519

Claims. (Cl. 16-146) This invention relates to a hinge construction adapted for use in conjunction with the upper rails of the collapsible sides of play yards, wherein the hinge includes means for locking the hinge butts against relative movement, thereby retaining the play yard in set up operative position against accidental collapsing.

More particularly, the invention deals with a hinge structure of the character described, wherein the hinge is mounted upon the outer and undersurface of the top rails of the collapsible sides to leave the inner surfaces of the rails free and clear or unobstructed.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is an outside view of adjacent end portions of the upper rails of a collapsible side of a play yard, showing my improved hinge, with part of the construction broken away and in section; and

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, and 11 represent the adjacent end portions of the upper rails of a collapsible side of a play yard, the rails having abutting surfaces, as at 12. At 13 and 14 are shown parts of depending rails extending downwardly from the rails 10 and 11, respectively.

Supported upon outer surfaces of the rails 10 and 11, between the rails 13 and 14, are hinge butts 15 and 16. The butts are angle iron or L-shaped in cross-sectional form, in other words, include attaching plate portions 17 and 18 and lower plate portions 19 and 20, respectively, the latter being arranged snugly upon the lower surfaces of the rails 10 and 11, the attaching plate portions 17 and 18 being fixed to the rails, as by screws 21 and 22, respectively.

The plates 19 and of the butts 15 and 16 have extensions 23 and 24, respectively, the extension 23 being shorter than the extension 24 and the extension 24 being ofiset with respect to the plate 20 to underlie the plate 19, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The extension 24 includes a laterally extending part 24', which underlies an edge portion of the attaching plate 17.

The overlapped portions of the extensions 23, 24 include lateral pintle pin receiving extensions 25 and 26, respectively, and these extensions are pivoted together by a pintle pin 27, forming the hinge connection between the two butts 15 and 16. It will appear that the axis of the pin 27 is in alinement with abutting surfaces 12 of the rails 10 and 11. The pintle pin axis is disposed outwardly of the surfaces of the rails 10 and 11, to which plate portions 17 and 18 respectively are attached, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing, so as to allow the rails to collapse into substantially parallel relationship to each other.

Pivoted to the attaching plate 17, as at 28, is a substantially L-shaped lock element 29, having an angnlarly ex- Patented May 23, 1961 tending fingerpiece portion 30. The offset end 31 of the element 29 is adapted to extend frictionally into an aperture 32 in the laterally oifset butt 24 of the extension 24, with a surface of 31 abutting one wall of the aperture, as clearly noted at 33 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, in firmly and rigidly maintaining the hinge in locked position.

Upon swinging the element 29 upwardly to disengage 31 with the aperture 32, the hinge can be operated in collapsing the sides of the play yard in packaging and storage of the same. 7

It will appear, from a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing, that the inner surface of the element 29 fits snugly upon the attaching plate 17 and that one wall of the aperture 32 is in alinement with this surface of the attaching plate. It will also appear, from a consideration of this figure, that the offset end '31 of the element 29 fits snugly upon the opposed wall of the aperture, so that the two rails 10and 11 are rigidly maintained in alinement, thus producing a firm support of the collapsible sides of the play yard.

While the hinge is simple and economical in construction, at the same time, it provides a strong and durable hinge structure, reinforcing the coupling of the rails 10 and 11 at the point of abutment of the rails.

It will also appear that, by arranging the hinge on the outer surface of the rails, the inner surface is kept clean and clear of obstructions.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A hinge of the character described, comprising a pair of butts including attaching plate portions, both fixed to common alined surfaces of supports to be movably coupled by said butts, one butt including an oifset apertured part underlying an edge portion of the attaching plate of the opposed butt, the aperture of said part being in alinement with the exposed surface of said opposed butt when the hinge is in extended position, a lock element pivoted to the attaching plate of said opposed butt and including a projecting part adapted to extend into said aperture in locking the two butts against hinge movement one with respect to the other, and said lock element including an ofiset fingerpiece portion for movement of the element into operative and inoperative positions.

2. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein the butts include overlying pintle pin receiving portions, a pintle pin joining said portions, and said pintle pin being arranged between and spaced from opposed adjacent edges of the attaching plates of said butts and from outer exposed surfaces of said attaching plate portions when the butts are mounted in engagement with respective supports.

3. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein the attaching plate portions include angularly extending plate parts engaging surfaces of a support disposed at an angle to the surfaces of the supports to which the attaching plate portions are secured.

4. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein a surface of the element is arranged snugly upon the exposed surface of the attaching plate portion of said opposed butt.

5. A hinge for coupling the collapsible sides of a play yard, said hinge comprising a pair of hinge butts of L- shaped cross-sectional form secured to adjacent abutting portions of upper rails of the play yard sides, the butts including mounting plate portions fixed to outer alined side surfaces of said rails and angular portions arranged upon undersurfaces of the rails, the angular portions including extensions, one of which is oifset to underlie the other extension, said extensions including offset pintle pin receiving portions, a pintle pin pivotally coupling said portions, the first named ofiset extension including a laterally offset part underlying one edge of the attaching plate portion of the opposed butt, said olfset part having an aperture in alinement with the exposed surface of the opposed butt when the hinge is in extended position, a lock element pivoted to the attaching plate portion of said opposed butt and operatively engaging the apeiture of said offset part in support of the hinge in locked extended position, and said lock element snugly engaging at least three walls of said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

